


Locked up

by venom_for_free



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Jail, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Self-Blame, depending on if you want to read the second chapter, or Happy ending, semi happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:34:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22865644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/venom_for_free/pseuds/venom_for_free
Summary: Yuri wrenches his eyes open.He stands and staggers to the other side of his cell.Great.He managed to see another day, another morning at least, in this godforsaken place.Everything they tell you about places like this is wrong. Well, maybe not everything. There are cells, of course. And other inmates. And guards. Shitty food and nothing to do all day, except when they want to tire you out and let you run in circles until you collapse.There are brick walls and barred windows and barbed wire, clenching around his heart as much as it surrounds this place.It's just wire. It can't suffocate you. Except it can.Or: Yuri Plisetsky is locked away in juvenile prison and tries to get by when he meets a new friend that changes his perspective on the world.
Relationships: Otabek Altin/Yuri Plisetsky, background Viktor Nikiforov/ Yuri Katskuki
Comments: 32
Kudos: 62





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Taedae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taedae/gifts).



> When you wake up from an actual fever induced dream and think "What if?".  
> When you then proceed to tell people about your idea and they encourage you to actually write it.  
> Thank you to Taedae and Asagi for indulging and encouraging me.  
> And an even bigger thank you to Taedae for editing all my crazy ideas within hours of me spitting them out.

Yuri wrenches his eyes open. 

He stands and staggers to the other side of his cell. 

Great. 

He managed to see another day, another morning at least, in this godforsaken place. 

Everything they tell you about places like this is wrong. Well, maybe not everything. There are cells, of course. And other inmates. And guards. Shitty food and nothing to do all day, except when they want to tire you out and let you run in circles until you collapse. 

There are brick walls and barred windows and barbed wire, clenching around his heart as much as it surrounds this place. 

It's just wire. It can't suffocate you. Except it can. 

He stares at the calendar. They let him keep it because they pity him. Or maybe because he cried and screamed when they tried to take this gift from his grandfather.

Yuri doesn't care which one it was. He cares that he gets to keep the calendar. 

Another “X”. Another day. How long he has to stay, he doesn't know. All he knows is the last two months are filled with red marks. Strikes through boxes, strikes through his mind, strikes into the faces of other inmates. 

Yuri is pretty. He's not the oldest boy, but far from the youngest with his sixteen years. People used to come and talk to him. They called him fairy. Now they call him tiger because he once clawed someone so hard, the other boy was taken to another block. It wasn't Yuri's fault, though. He wanted to take Yuri’s food. And everyone knows, if you let them take your food, they'll take everything. 

It's so very cliché.

But there are also things that aren't. 

There are girls and boys here. Some of them are much younger than him. Some of them don't spend all day here. An open policy. Probably a new concept the government tests. Everything today is about saving. Saving space, saving time, saving money. Which is why Yuri supposes this idiotic clusterfuck exists. 

It shouldn't be like this. He knows. But who could he complain to? He hasn't seen Grandpa in weeks. His father has been gone for years. And his mother … she is the reason he is here in the first place. 

Yuri doesn't speak about his mother.

To anyone. 

Ever. 

Until he does. 

But it's not to the guard that tries to sneak him food from time to time. An ex cop, Katsuki. Yuri likes to call him piggy because of his past. And because he turns so delightfully pink. Why he's giving him food is anyone's guess. Probably wants a taste of the forbidden fruit. Though that is unlikely, because Yuri is pretty sure he's fucking that doctor. 

Another person he doesn't talk to. 

Doctor Nikiforov. Who sometimes seems to hang around his cell just to oogle the guard. It's fucking disgusting. 

He made Yuri strip on his first day here. Since then, Yuri hates him. When he took a knife that Yuri made out of the plastic shit they received their lunch on and took away his rights to call grandpa once a week for a whole fucking month, Yuri decided he is the first he'd murder in an uprising. It is unlikely. Eleven years olds don't make for good goons, but he has dreams. 

And one of those dreams walks in front of his door. Yuri can see him before he enters the cell. The doors have windows, so the guards can spy on them whenever they fucking want. It's disgusting. Yuri wonders if it counts as child porn at work if he jumps around naked in front of the windows. 

Yuri also wonders if the other dude, the new dude, would join him. He looks like he means trouble. Which Yuri is very much into. His last cellmate was quickly removed, but this guy … maybe he can actually deal with him. 

The door opens, and the boy who enters fixates Yuri with the most intense expression there is. Yuri can't stop wondering what he did to get here. Theft? Car racing? Drugs? Shit. He doesn't look like he belongs in a prison for juvenile offenders. Yet here he is. 

They keep staring at each other until Yuri walks back to his bed and sits down. Stakes his claim. Marks his territory.  _ I will fight you if I have to.  _

"This calendar over your bed is mine. It stays there." 

The other boy — man? — stares at him. Barely moves. Then nods, just once. As if he is a doll and someone forced his head. He keeps staring. Yuri immediately likes him. 

But he tries to play it cool. Leans back on his bed. Manspreads. He read that it's meant to be intimidating, but it falls flat. The guy in front of him is almost half a head taller, and his shoulders could accommodate two little Yuris. 

The other guy smirks. And fuck, he's the coolest person Yuri’s ever met. He has to play his cards right. 

"Plisetsky. Yuri Plisetsky." 

Fuck.

That was the verbal equivalent of wearing sunglasses indoors. On your fucking head. 

"Hey, asshole." 

Hell yeah. That was better. If that doesn’t establish dominance — but why is he still grinning? And wider now? Yuri is intimidated. For the first time in this place, he is intimidated. 

The other guy just raises his hand in a motion as if he is waving Yuri away and lays down on the bed Yuri assigned him. 

Yuri hates him. 

Yuri wants to be him. 

"Do you have a fucking name?" 

He chuckles — he actually, honest to god chuckles — and Yuri’s blood freezes at the deep voice. 

"Otabek Altin." 

Yuri expects something more, a clever one-liner, anything, but the guy stays silent. 

He's as cool as a fucking iceberg, and Yuri is goddamn sure he'll sink his fucking Titanic if he keeps on trying so motherfucking hard. But he can't stop himself. 

"Why are you here?" 

Otabek looks at him and draws up an eyebrow, expecting something. 

Anything? Or something specific? Yuri is at a loss. And his new companion isn't much of a talker. That's great. He tells himself he likes it. 

For a moment he wonders if Otabek can talk. But he knows his name, so he has to be able to speak. Maybe if Yuri starts … 

"I'm here for murder." 

So, that should be it. That should be good enough to prompt a reaction, right? 

But Otabek’s expression is stoic as if that isn’t enough of a revelation. 

"Okay. Fuck. Not … not murder. But someone died because of me. Okay? And they haven't decided how to handle me yet. So … I've been here. For a while." 

Otabek nods. It seems more deliberate now, less forced. There is no smile. Instead, he stares at the ceiling. 

Shit. 

Now Yuri told his story  _ and  _ learned nothing. A crushing defeat on all fronts. 

Maybe a question, then. 

"You're not a minor." 

"And you talk a lot." 

Wow. 

That was bordering on offensive. Yuri didn't even realise his former question wasn't a question because the answer was so far from what he expected. 

"I really don't." 

Another lifted eyebrow. 

No more words. 

Yuri hates him. 

Yuri wants to be him. 

"I don't talk at all! Everyone always gets angry because I never talk!" 

He knows how defensive he sounds. It isn't a good sound. But it's too late, and no matter what he does, the words won't go back into his mouth. 

Not that it matters. He doesn't get a  _ real _ reaction. He gets a chuckle. It's better than nothing, Yuri guesses, but it doesn't help him. 

"Whatever." 

He plucks the book from his nightstand. 

The guards make him read it. For school. Because of course there's a school. What would be a prison without a smaller prison inside of it? 

Yuri thumbs through it, incapable of grasping any of the things he reads. It's not that he doesn't want to learn. But he wants to learn about the mysterious man on the bed next to him. There's no other way to describe him. He's mysterious. And definitely a man. Fuck the juvenile offenders ward. 

He simply has to try again. Maybe this time with an actual question. 

"How old are you?" 

"Nineteen." 

Oh, look at that. 

Yuri dragged an answer out of him. And all it took was half an hour of prodding and self-revelation. He didn't even have to beg. 

But now that he has the information, he realises it's empty. He's not a minor. Wow. Big fucking deal. The actual question is …  _ why is he here? _

But Otabek closed his eyes already, and Yuri has missed his chance. Unless … 

"Hey, fucker. Don't get caught sleeping during the day." 

A smile tugs on Otabek’s lips. 

"I've never been caught." 

Well, that was obviously a lie. Because he is here. Look at him. Fucking fool. 

_ I've never been caught.  _ So fucking special. So easily debunked as a lie. And still. Yuri is intimidated. 

"You shouldn't be here." 

"Who says that?" 

Damn. They are having a dialogue now. Like grown-ups. They are actually talking. Yuri doesn't know how to deal with the excitement. Instead of thinking, he blurts out what slips onto his tongue. 

"You're not a minor." 

Otabek looks at him again, eyebrows raised as if to tell him  _ you mentioned that already.  _ And he has. But this time, he gets an even less passionate answer. None. Fucking great. 

Yuri picks up his book again, brushes through it, opens and closes it, and shuffles his feet until—

"Stop that." 

Otabek has spoken. Unprompted. A whole two-word sentence. Just for Yuri. His stomach does a weird little bouncy thing.

But he can't take orders from anybody. 

"Make me." 

_ Risky, Plisetsky.  _

Last time he said shit like that, his nose received the answer for him. With a loud crunch. That was before his father left. It's been a while since someone riled him up like that, obviously. 

"Will you stop if I tell you what you want to know?" 

Yuri is tempted to ask the attractive asshole if he could tell him where his father went to get new cigarettes because it must have been the most secluded gas station in the country. But since he doesn't want to see him now and since his mother won't visit him either, will never be there ever again, he decides he doesn't need parents. Time to solve the second biggest mystery of this fine rainy morning in this shithole of a cell. 

"Maybe." 

No impossible promises. Yuri isn't a rookie. Otabek huffs and turns away. 

"Okay, okay. Yes." 

He isn't a dumbass either. He will manage to tame his restless feet in exchange for information. 

"I was a minor when my trial started. That's why." 

This doesn't make sense. Or does it? Yuri has no idea, he isn't a professional. And obviously, Otabek is here. So it must be the truth. Right? 

Doing his best to imitate the cool and aloof aura, Yuri huffs and turns back to his book.  _ Don't give him a real answer. Let him simmer. _

That is the end of their conversation. 

Yuri doesn't shuffle anymore.

\-- 

During lunch, he decides to be noble and show Otabek around. Katsuki opens their cell and greets Yuri. Whatever Otabek did must have been bad because Katsuki doesn't even acknowledge him. That is probably why he doesn't want to talk about it. 

Yuri doesn't know how to feel, being stuck with someone  _ like that _ . 

He walks to the canteen and Otabek follows him wordlessly. Yuri has a shadow now. He's short, but fuck, Yuri knows he's dangerous. And even if he isn't exactly on the tall side, he still has a few inches on Yuri. 

Yuri hates him. 

Yuri wants to be him. 

At Yuri's table are two other people. A girl named Mila and a guy named Georgi. They are the only ones close to his age. Well, they are older than him. But Yuri is talking about his mental age. Because there's no way his fucking brain is only sixteen. He's far more mature than Georgi, after all. And he's eighteen. Almost like Otabek. 

Yuri introduces the people he refuses to call friends to his cellmate. They stare at him. Otabek stares back. No one says a word. It could have gone worse. 

\-- 

He's got school until the early afternoon. Otabek doesn't need to do that anymore. Lucky bastard. Because he's not a minor. And still here. Even jail is fucking injust. Especially jail. 

He walks back to his cell once the courses have finished. Katsuki is accompanying him, yet again trying to force him to talk about his mother. As if Yuri doesn't know he's trying to collect evidence for the case against him. As if he's unaware this is how Katsuki plans to get back to his old job. Fucking pig. 

And yet. He hates the silence. More and more since Otabek pointed out that he always talks. 

"Why do you never speak to Otabek?" 

"Otabek?" 

"The guy I share a fucking cell with?!" 

That is typical for Katsuki. He is responsible for the school run. Otabek doesn't go to school. So he hasn't even bothered to learn his name. Fucking asshole. 

"Yuri, you— " 

"Yuuuuri!" 

Fucking great. Exactly what he needs right now. Viktor Nikiforov, injecting himself into their conversation. It would sting less if Yuri didn't know the gesture of affection is aimed at the  _ other _ Yuri. The pig. The ignorant, name-stealing, nosy pig.

But for once, Viktor focuses on him. 

"The guy you share a room with? Tell me about him." 

Room. They love to refer to the fucking cells as rooms. As if that would erase the bars in front of their windows. The second bed in their private space. The doors that never really manage to shut everyone out. 

It sounds better to say they put kids in their own little rooms to educate and rehabilitate them. 

Much better than ' _ We strip search them at random intervals and take from them whatever we don't like. We also restrict their contact to the outside world and force them into an oppressive system. _ ' 

"Otabek." 

Yuri grunts the name as if it is a secret. The other man told him so little about himself, it would be traitorous to share the information. Not that a name is a secret. This isn't the fucking fae folk, and he has proven time and time again that he is everything but a fairy. 

"Otabek?" 

"Otabek Altin." 

"Ah, yes. What were you about to ask Yuri? Mister Katsuki, I mean?" 

Viktor scribbles something onto his notepad and shows it to the guard. The man nods. Yuri  _ hates  _ when they talk behind his back like this. 

But they don't care about his comfort and the pig has the audacity to write back. 

"I was asking why he never greets Otabek." 

"Does Otabek want to be greeted?" 

"Can you maybe fucking ask him yourself?" 

Yuri rolls his eyes. He's not a fucking messenger owl. 

"I will. Is he in your room right now?" 

"I guess? How would I know? I was in school all day." 

"Otabek doesn't go to school?" 

Yuri stares at Viktor, unblinking. Fuck, the man must be deeper in his own ass than he thought if he hasn't noticed. 

"No. He's not a minor, for fucks sake. Said something about his trial was weird …" 

"His trial …" 

Viktor scribbles something again. 

That's when Yuri realises. 

They are using him to gain information about Otabek. They pretend not to know because they are aware Yuri will blurt out everything like a fucking little snitch. And he ran directly into their trap. 

He scolds himself mentally, determined not to answer Viktor anymore, but it makes no difference because Viktor leaves towards his cell. Is Yuri supposed to follow? Where else would he go? 

The old man stares into the room, first through the glass panel and once he unlocks the door for Yuri, without any barrier. 

"Hello … Otabek?" 

Yuri tilts his head. He assumed Viktor and Otabek have already talked to each other, but now that he thinks about it, it hasn't been his shift. 

He squeezes past the doctor, scrunching up his nose at the harsh smell of disinfectant flooding his senses. 

Otabek doesn't even reply. He waves at Viktor and Yuri laughs. Maybe he should try that, too. 

"It's nice to meet you, Otabek." 

Viktor almost sounds unsure, and Yuri is having the time of his life. He knows Otabek is intimidating, has felt it from the second he stepped into the cell. But when he is  _ like that  _ … Yuri is pretty sure he's the coolest guy in the world. 

For a while, Viktor keeps trying to talk to him, but he can't get any real answers. Once he relents, Yuri is alone with his new best friend again. 

That's what he hopes Otabek will turn out to be because he is definitely too strong to fight. 

"So … what did you do?" 

"All day?" 

"Yeah. And also … "

Yuri blushes, the heat and color crawling over his face into his hairline. 

"You want to know why I'm in here?" 

"Yes." 

"So you can tell Viktor about it?" 

Yuri sputters. 

Damn it, how does he even know that? 

As if he magically knows what Yuri thinks, Otabek answers him out loud. 

"I heard you talking. You weren't that far away." 

Yuri blushes more. Not because of the words. But because two sentences are probably the longest Otabek has spoken to him in one go. Are they making progress? Has he reached the 'friend' level yet? 

"I promise I won't tell him." 

"Damn right. You won't be able to. Because I won't tell you."

Three sentences. Is Otabek flirting? 

No. He has to get his head back on straight. Although, Yuri isn't sure straight is something he can do. 

"So, you won't even tell me what got you here?" 

"No." 

Damn it. Back to one word. 

Maybe he should change the topic. 

But before he can say more, Otabek turns towards him and smiles. 

"Why don't you tell me about yourself instead?" 

\-- 

Yuri stares at the ceiling. He hates talking about himself, hates looking at people when he tells his story, but … 

Otabek gives him room. His cell is smaller now that he isn't alone anymore, but for some reason, he can breathe a little more freely. 

"It's because of my mom." 

He waits for a reaction. Maybe a "What did she do?", so he could say she has done nothing. Or a lot. He doesn't know. But that he hasn't done anything either, and that is why he is here. But also isn't. And in the end, everything will be more complicated. 

But nothing happens. 

He looks over. Otabek staring at the ceiling as well. Huh. Apparently he's not nosy at all. Interesting. 

"She did something dumb. They blame me for it." 

More staring, more silence. Then: 

"Who are 'they'?" 

Yuri looks to the side and directly into dark brown eyes. Sometimes, in the right light, it looks like there's amber glistening in them, but then Otabek turns his head, and it's gone. The specks of gold turn back into dark chocolate and Yuri wonders if he imagined them until he sees them again. 

"Well, whoever got me the fuck stuck in here." 

Otabek huffs.

"Where do you think you are?" 

"Hell, probably. With the way we are treated." 

"Yeah. Right." 

Otabek rolls his eyes and turns his back to Yuri, and for some reason, this is more insulting than anything else he has said or done. Doesn't he realise Yuri is trying to open up here? 

"Hey, asshole!?" 

Otabek looks over his shoulder. 

"Hmm?" 

"My mom. She died. Recently. Wrapped her car around a tree when she drove drunk. They say it was my fault. So they try to punish me for it. Or well, they already do." 

"Did you force her to drink and drive?" 

"What kind of question is this? Of course I didn't!" 

"Then you're innocent." 

Yuri bites his lips. If only it was that easy. 

\-- 

School is boring. Yuri reaches this earth-shattering conclusion a few days later as he waits for the clock to strike three. It's not  _ really _ a new thought, but now it's more persistent. 

He's never been so motivated to get back to his cell. Which is dumb. Because Otabek doesn't even talk to him a lot. But he's there, and he listens, and Yuri likes that because Otabek doesn't judge him. 

The other man is here for a reason, after all. Yuri doesn't know what that reason is yet. But is that really important when he's on the way to making a friend? 

A friend. 

He stares at his notes and tries not to think too much about the word. 

_ Are you going to be my friend or not?  _

That was more a dare than an offer. And something Yuri immediately jumped on. 

When he thought about the handshake that followed, there was phantom warmth in him. 

He still isn't sure how to reconcile that prickle along his spine when he looks too long into those dark eyes and wonders what secrets they hold. 

_ Oh god _ . 

Sometimes he catches himself thinking things like this and wants to projectile vomit. That is exactly the sappy bullshit he hates so much. 

Yuri is convinced he actually wants to be friends, but since he never had a friend, he wouldn't know what it's supposed to feel like, and that's why it is weird to him. Even though it's not weird at all. It's also not weird that he wonders what Otabek's hair feels like. Most friends want to know those things about each other. 

He's pretty sure. At least, he's seen Mila and Sara touch each other's hair like this and they are  _ really good friends _ . 

When the bell eventually rings, Yuri bolts out of his chair and runs back into his cell. Katsuki screams after him, tells him " _ NO RUNNING _ ", but Yuri is gone before he can do anything about it. Moreover, what kind of guard wants to stop a convict from entering their cell? 

Finally inside, he's so happy he actually hugs Otabek. Is it weird? Yes. Should he stop? Yes. But Otabek's arms snake around him and hold Yuri close, and he never wanted to be anywhere as much as he wants to be here right now. 

"Did you miss me?" 

Yuri tries his best to keep his cool and wants to answer with something along the lines of "Pffff, yeah, no, whatever, nerd."

But he doesn't. Instead, he doesn't answer at all because he's a little afraid of what might come out of his mouth. And there's no way he's going to lie to Otabek. 

So Yuri nods, then beams. 

"Doctor Nikiforov said you are allowed to join me in the yard this afternoon. It's boring. We only walk around in circles because they won't give us anything that can be turned into a weapon, obviously. But … it's better than sitting in here all day." 

Otabek nods, and Yuri is still radiating sunshine. He swears someone dropped some butterflies into his stomach, and now he has to deal with the little bastards. 

That afternoon, he doesn't feel so alone. 

People are intimidated by Otabek and give them room. Yuri enjoys it. Usually they like to crowd him because he's pretty and lonely, a dangerous combination in jail. 

But not today.  _ Beka  _ has his arm around his shoulder. They look so casual and relaxed. Effortlessly cool. Yuri feels good. He speaks to his new friend about his mother that was never available and his father that didn't even stick around to cut the umbilical cord. For half an hour, he's talking about his grandfather and the food he cooks. 

And Beka listens. 

Sometimes he nods, sometimes he laughs, sometimes he tells Yuri a tiny bit about himself. Yuri hoards those little things like a dragon. He makes sure to repeat them mentally again and again, just so he won't forget. 

That's how he learns that Beka has two sisters and one brother. He's from Kazakhstan, which makes the legal situation only more complicated. His birthday is on Halloween, which is the coolest thing ever, and he drives a bike outside of prison. 

It's the most exciting and extra shit he’s heard from anyone but Viktor. 

Yuri likes him. 

Yuri wants to be him. 

\-- 

After an initial period of confusion, people begin to talk to Otabek. As it turns out, most of them were shy or intimidated. Even Katsuki greets him now when he opens their cell in the morning. If he's bothered by the fact that Beka sometimes sleeps in Yuri's bed, he's not saying anything. In general, people keep most of their opinions to themselves. 

Probably because they all know Yuri is there for serious allegations, and Otabek just gives off that unapproachable vibe, even without laying his crimes bare. 

Only Yuri knows what he's like in the middle of the night when they stare at the ceiling and talk about life and what it means to provide for others. 

Yuri knows their cell has thirteen little cobwebs. He also knows Beka's sisters got in trouble early on. 

When the pig finds them in one bed for the first time, he stares a little too long, then turns and leaves without a word. Yuri wants to explain to him it isn't anything sexual, that they are just friends. But he sees how Katsuki behaves around Nikiforov, and he knows he doesn't owe anyone an explanation. 

They switch now with the red marks on the calendar. Yuri arranges his day around Otabek and vice versa. They call each other Beka and Yura, and sometimes he catches people grinning at them when they think no one is looking. After a while, Yuri decides he likes the attention. 

"Did you sleep well?" 

Mila smiles at both of them, and Yuri nodded, along with Otabek. The others don't know they like to spend the night together and they don't have to. 

"How about you, baba?" 

Mila grins and looks over at Sara. Apparently, she had a great night with her friend, too. 

It's the weekend, and therefore, Yuri doesn't have to go to school. Instead he's looking forward to an afternoon in the little outside area with Beka, their little Eden in between barbed wire and high fences where Yuri's heart can beat a little more freely. 

His plan is ruined when Otabek tells him he's got an appointment with Viktor. It happens from time to time. Yuri comes back from wherever they allow him to go, and the cell is empty, only their sparse room left. Yuri doesn't know what Otabek does with Viktor, and he doesn't feel like asking. If Beka wants to share, he speaks about it on his own terms. But it stings like a motherfucker to be left alone, and Yuri hates it not one bit less.  _ He looked forward to his afternoon, for fucks sake.  _

He stubbornly goes out nonetheless. Just to walk in a few circles as always, watched closely by the pig. 

"You're quiet today, Yuri. What's going on?" 

Fucking nosy asshole, always wants to be part of Yuri's business. He probably has to fill in some report or some shit. 

"Nothing." 

Katsuki huffs behind him, more amusement than annoyance. 

"Is Otabek with Viktor? Do you miss him?" 

The last thing Yuri needs right now is to be taunted and teased. Yes. He misses his best friend. Big fucking deal. His eyes wander to the window of their cell, longingly staring at the bars.  _ Is he back already? Why won't he come out? _

"He's been with Viktor all fucking day. I wonder what they have to discuss for so long." 

This time, the pig's tiny noise is almost sad. 

"I'm glad you have him. You know? It seems to be easier for you to talk to people when he's around." 

Yuri curls his lips, disgust making his face contort. Not because of Otabek's effect on him. He knows about that. But because he hates agreeing with Katsuki. 

"He's … special. Kind of quiet himself. But … still interested. He likes listening." 

Yuri stares at his feet, annoyance creeping into his brain. Has he already said too much about the other man he likes so much? It still doesn't seem right to tell anyone about Otabek and what he's like. 

"Has he told you how long he'll stay with us?" 

This time Yuri only shakes his head. If he knew, he wouldn't have told the pig, but he doesn't know, so he won't even have to lie. What a fucking relief. He rolls his eyes, the annoyance increasing steadily. 

"Yuri … there is something we have to tell you. Something you need to know." 

But Yuri isn't listening anymore. 

Viktor just walked outside and waved at them, and this is Yuri's sign that he's done with Otabek. Without as much as looking back once, he hurries across the yard and past Nikiforov, forcing Katsuki to run after him. At least he stopped talking. 

Yuri can't wait to get back to his cell. He hasn't anticipated ever feeling like this, but here he is, a tiger running to his cage just to meet his—

He stops dead in his tracks. Stares through the window. The number on the door is correct, but the bed in the room is the wrong. Another boy. Not Otabek. Someone else. 

Yuri hasn't seen much of him yet, doesn't know him, doesn't  _ want _ to know him. Because he's not very social and even if he was … that dude is sitting on Otabek's bed. As if his best friend doesn't even exist. 

He spins around and stares at Katsuki and Nikiforov, who both hurried after him. The pig is slightly panting, which would fill Yuri with a sense of satisfaction, if he could feel anything but terror right now. 

"Who is this? What is he doing there?" 

Yuri's lips curl around the words, mixing venom into the simple questions to express his disdain in every form known to him other than physically attacking them. 

That would only make things worse for him. But it would be a lie to say he didn't think about it. 

"He's … your new cellmate." 

Viktor presses out, an unusual redness coloring his usually fair cheeks. 

"I told you we would have to talk to you, Yuri." 

Katsuki seems just as hesitant, but he looks like it's born from exhaustion and panic, not carefulness. 

"He can't stay here. This is Beka's bed." 

The doctor shakes his head, his eyes sad. 

"I'm sorry Yuri. But our rooms are full. We had to put him somewhere else. This was the only free bed." 

" **_Free?_ ** " 

Yuri's voice turns icey.

Katsuki hurriedly interrupts before Yuri can reconsider his stance on physical aggression. 

"Otabek. He's …" 

He looks at Viktor and winces for some unknown reason. Probably because they would tell him Otabek had to move to a prison for adults and Yuri would be all on his own, and back to his loneliness and no one would care and his days would be dark and full of nothingness and—

He doesn't realise Viktor has caught him in his arms until it dawns on him that they are sitting on the floor. Yuri clings to his arms and looks at the older man. Pure terror blows his eyes wider than they should go. 

"He's not gone, is he? He's not gone." 

Yuri shakes his head in refusal of the situation. Just this morning, Otabek has drawn a red mark on his calendar. He has to still be around. 

Viktor looks at the pig, seemingly just as lost. 

"We … don't know yet for sure. But … until there's more information … why don't you go in and meet your new roommate?" 

For a moment, Yuri seriously considers spitting on them. But there is concern in their eyes and honest worry on his behalf, so Yuri decides he hates them a little less, just for a while. 

"He has to come back." 

Yuri likes him. 

Yuri wants to be with him. 

\-- 

It's been two days, and Yuri refuses to speak to his cellmate. Partially out of protest because he's not Otabek. Partially because he's a terrible fucking bitch. 

When Yuri noticed Jean looks kind of similar to Otabek, his heart jumped into his throat. 

Then, Jean began to talk. 

No undercut in the whole wide world can make up for the personified stupidity that is this man. Yuri learns that early on. 

Now he's frustrated. He refuses to talk. Not only to Jean but also to everyone else. Logically he knows it's not Nikiforov's or Katsuki's fault. But he doesn't have the energy for social interactions. 

He also can't sleep anymore. Viktor pushes pills on him, but Yuri hides them all. He doesn't fucking need drugs to sleep. Yuri needs Otabek. 

He breaks after a week with next to no sleep when Jean rambles about his hot girlfriend for the thousandth time. As if Yuri doesn't know he's in here because he's a crazy stalker that broke into her house and was found rummaging through her underwear. Like the pure Christian boy he claims to be. As far as Yuri knows, she's not even his girlfriend. 

He sleeps like a baby that night. 

And for a while, it's as if Beka is back, holding him again. After that, Yuri begins to throw the pills back like Smarties. He even exchanges his desert with Georgi for his dose. 

Viktor finds out after four days when Mila tips him off. That day, Mila goes to sleep with a black eye and Yuri doesn't sleep at all. 

Which, honestly, is a fortune. Because otherwise he would have missed how Otabek slips into their cell in the early morning hours. He greets Yuri with the longest hug the blond has ever gotten. 

"What are you doing here?" 

"I've been sent back." 

Beka grins at him, and Yuri's heart threatens to burst. He doesn't think about it when he kisses him, and he doesn't think about Beka kissing back. For a moment, they just hold each other. It feels so natural. But of course it can't be like that forever. 

"There's someone in my bed." 

Yuri nods. That is what they need to talk about right now. Of course. Why is Otabek so ridiculous? Why doesn't he keep kissing Yuri?

"You let someone in my bed?" 

Otabek quirks his eyebrow and grins teasingly. It's the best thing Yuri has ever seen, and he forgives him for missing out on a few chances to lock lips. 

"It's not like I had much choice after you disappeared without a trace, fucking asshole." 

Both laugh and the ice-cold stone in Yuri’s chest slowly melts as his heart starts to beat again. 

"Did you get in trouble while I was gone?" 

Now  _ that _ has Yuri smirking. He leans up to steal another kiss because apparently, that's something they do now. 

"Did you?" 

Otabek's lips twitch into a smile. For some reason, it's a perfect mirror of Yuri's expression and still so much prettier. 

"I want my bed back. Did you know I'm back because Nikiforov apparently threw a temper tantrum? There was some sort of conference, and he kept going on and on about how one of his inmates can't be controlled but was okay for a while, and there's only one way to get this back on track and-" 

"And that's why you're back? Because I punched Mila?" 

"You did?" 

Yuri snorts. He brushes his finger over Beka's cheek. Beka, who said so many words on his behalf. Beka, who apparently missed him just as much, Beka, who's only back because Yuri openly struggled without him. 

It is kind of embarrassing, honestly. 

But it also brought Otabek back. So he doesn't care. 

In front of the window, a shadow moves and Yuri looks up. He notices Katsuki staring at them, his expression strange in a way Yuri can't seem to pinpoint. 

Suddenly Yuri knows why Beka is in  _ their _ cell, even though it is in the middle of the night, and he doesn't have his own bed there anymore. He mouths “ _ Thank you” _ at the other man. Katsuki mouths back “ _ For what?” _ , but then he smiles and walks away. Maybe after all, Yuri has more than one friend in this place. 

\-- 

In the morning, Jean stares weirdly at them. Yuri knows the drill by now. Everyone reacts like this when they meet Beka for the first time. 

He points at the broad frame behind himself and grins at Jean. 

"Otabek, this is your pseudo doppelganger. Jean, this is my best friend." 

Jean, who likes to call himself JJ like some psychopath, blinks a few times. He looks a little like a dumb owl, but Yuri is too happy to comment on his stupid face. After all, he has Otabek back. 

"This … is Otabek?" 

Yuri nods and smiles wide, unreasonably proud over something he can't actually influence. Or could he? Beka said he was part of what happened. 

"Well … hi, my man." 

Otabek chuckles and greets back.

Yuri turns in his arms and cups his face. Then he twists his head enough to look at Jean once more. 

"Now that he's back … you don't mind giving him his bed back. Right?" 

Jean slowly shakes his head. 

"I mean … we still have to talk to the doctor about it, right? But … dude, I've seen what you did with Mila. I would … rather not cross you." 

Yuri wants to ask Jean why he thinks this is Viktor's decision. After all, he's not the prison chief. But Otabek said Viktor influenced his return, so maybe Yuri underestimated his power. 

He nods and smiles sweetly, then turns away to bury his face against Beka's chest. 

\-- 

It takes a bit of convincing, but eventually they rearrange the cells. Jean gives him a long look before he leaves and nods slowly towards both him and Beka on his bed. 

"I'll see you around." 

Yuri waves and Beka nods. 

Maybe Jean isn't as bad as he initially thought. Maybe Yuri was just grumpy because he was lonely. But it was a terrible feeling, so if he acted on his thoughts, it wasn't out of malicious intent but because he was seriously hurt. Yuri quickly drags his mind away from the topic and focuses on Otabek once more. 

Later in the day, Viktor visits him. 

"Yuri, do you mind if we talk a little? Can you come with me?" 

"Why?" 

He frowns and stares at Viktor, but Otabek nudges him forward. 

"Go. Viktor was kind to us. Without him, I wouldn't be back. I'll still be here when you return. I promise." 

Yuri smiles and gives him a kiss before finally stalking over to the doctor. 

"Did you … just kiss him?" 

Viktor gives him a sad smile. He has probably seen a dozen love stories behind bars. He knows how they end. But Yuri refuses to become another number in that statistic. 

Instead of a verbal answer, he gives Viktor a nod. Better than no cooperation, but he would never be eager to work with the system. 

He's guided into a room with the bold letters "Doctor Nikiforov" across the door. 

'Viktor' sounds better, Yuri has to agree. It frightens the younger kids less. 

"Are you … okay with talking to me without Otabek? Don't get me wrong , I don't want to separate you, it's just— " 

Yuri raises his hand. He nods.

Beka is still in their cell, it's not like he hadn't known what he'd agree to. But Viktor's concern warms his soul, just the smallest bit. Not that he would admit that. 

He's gifted with a smile from Viktor that looks suspiciously like a heart, and Yuri wonders how it's even possible to produce that with his lips alone. 

But he is dragged back to his reality immediately. It's been weeks since he has been in this room. Yuri looks around to take everything in. The white desk with the white computer. The little flowers all over the room. The pictures of undefined shapes on the walls. 

Yuri points at one. 

"This looks like a cat." 

Viktor smiles and turns around in his office chair, then gets up and retrieves the picture. Once it's laid out in front of Yuri, he points at it. 

"Can you explain to me why?" 

_ Is he dumb? _

Yuri points at the shape, first as a whole and then at the extra parts while he explains. 

"Look at it. Here are the ears. The face. This is the tail." 

Viktor nods his agreement, then smiles at Yuri once more. 

"You like cats, don't you?" 

For some reason, the question makes him suspicious. It doesn't seem natural to talk to this doctor about cats. 

"So what?" 

"You used to have a cat?" 

Viktor simply continues as if the question isn't weird. Yuri answers him with a reluctant nod. 

"Potya. How do you know?" 

"Otabek told me." 

"He what?!" 

With raised hands, Viktor tries to calm Yuri as if he is a horse threatening to kick its trainer. Yuri wants to kick, but Viktor stays relaxed and friendly. 

"He talks a lot about you. Says you are important to him. And that he wants to learn about you. But also that he wants us to get along better. You know Yuri—Mister Katsuki—and I did what we could to accommodate him?" 

Yuri has to confirm that. He's grateful for it.

It was an honestly nice thing of them to do. 

"He mentioned a cat to us. Back at your parents?" 

Once more, Yuri nods. 

He can't remember telling Otabek about Potya, but a lot of their time together is hazy. He likes to focus more on Otabek's lips than on his words. 

"She was my cat. Just mine. My mom didn't like her too much. But I took good care of her. Of Potya. Not so much of my mom. At least, that is what they say. That's why I'm here. Because I killed my mom. Right?" 

Viktor shakes his head. It's just a tiny motion he suppresses as soon as he realises he's doing it. 

"Whoever says that, Yuri, I think they are wrong. I think you are innocent of this crime." 

The younger man licks his lips and stares out of the window. Even the ones in Viktor's room have bars. He hadn't expected it to mean so much to him to know Viktor believed he was innocent. But it did. 

"I … I didn't want her to go. You know? I just …" 

He licks his lips again. Yuri's eyes wander back to the table between them as if he's trying to bridge time and space back to the moment his mother decided to leave. 

"I shouldn't have asked for the food." 

Viktor leans forward, his eyes sparkling with interest. 

"Food?" 

"When she left … that night … she was … I was hungry. She screamed at me that she would go and get me some food. I could have made myself a pizza, you know? I just … I told her. Because she is my mom. Was. But she was already drunk off of her ass. Maybe even high. The reports said something like that. I didn't think she would leave. I thought maybe she would actually cook. I just … should have made something myself. I'm old enough for fucks sake. She liked saying that." 

Viktor gently shakes his head, but doesn't comment further. 

"She … eventually got into the car. And I ran after her. In the middle of the night. Screaming. I tried to stop her, I swear. I'm not a bad person, no matter what the judge says. I'm …" 

Yuri breaks off and focuses on the clouds in front of the window. It's windy outside, and the weather makes them pass much faster than normally. It looks like the world is spinning too fast, as if time is passing all wrong and Yuri gets lost. He only snaps back to the present when Viktor finishes his sentence for him. 

"You were just a hungry child asking their mother for food. What happened wasn't your fault. You said you even tried to stop her, Yuri." 

He sniffles and blinks too quickly until the wetness is cleared from his gaze. Yuri licks his lips again. 

"He said that, too." 

"He?" 

"Otabek." 

Viktor responds with a soft smile and leans forward, taking Yuri's hand into his larger ones. The younger man wants to run, to flinch. But he doesn't. He can't. Instead he looks up and into Viktor's clear blue eyes. 

That's when Yuri starts to cry. 

\-- 

Yuri marks the last day of the month off. 

He smiles at Otabek and Beka smiles back before they meet in the middle for a kiss. 

"Are you excited to meet him?" 

He's pulling on his pants and then rolls his shoulders to adjust the shirt. Otabek watches him with a smile, then nods. 

"I can't wait. I bet he's lovely. You made him sound so nice." 

"He is! But a little conservative. Don't tell him we share a bed sometimes." 

Beka laughs and nods. 

It's another Saturday. No school for Yuri. And it's a special day, too, because he finally gets to meet with his grandfather again. 

Katsuki informed him that his lawsuit was looking good and he was allowed to have visitors because he kept behaving better and better. 

After begging and pleading, Viktor agreed to allow Beka into the meeting, too. 

Now it is time to introduce his boyfriend to his grandpa. 

And the meeting goes well. 

Beka is quiet, talks more to Yuri than to Nikolai. But his old man tries. Doesn't even remark on the fact that Beka is a man. That his skin is somewhat darker than Yuri's. That he's stuck in this place, too. 

Nikolai seems genuinely happy for them. 

They talk about Yuri's time in prison, about his mother and the accident, about Viktor and his self-revelations. Yuri talks a lot about how much Beka helps him, too, and holds on to his hand the whole time. 

Yuri loves him. 

Yuri wants to be with him. 

Yuri finally has what he wants. 

\----------- 

Nikolai smiles when he hugs his grandson. He nods appreciatively into the room, then says his goodbye. 

One of the doctors swoops in and greets Yuri again. They smile at each other like friends. The doctor makes sure to greet Otabek. 

Nikolai's smile dies. 

He turns to Viktor, his eyes cold as he addresses the psychotherapist. 

"I hired you to heal him. Not to break him more. What happened to my grandson?" 

Viktor shakes his head and pressed the charts to his chest. 

"What you see here is him healing. You have to understand." 

But Nikolai doesn't understand. He doesn't see any healing. He sees a boy that is more broken than ever before. 

"In the last two months … Yuri changed drastically. He came into our clinic adamantly convinced that this is a prison." 

"I can't blame him with the barbed wire and the bars in front of the windows." 

Viktor winces. 

"Trust me, please. I hate them, too. But I've had one too many kids try and jump in a manic episode. We aren't going to risk that." 

Nikolai closes his eyes, than reopens them to stare at the two empty chairs. 

"What about that girl he hit?" 

Again, the doctor shakes his head. 

"That was in an episode. Yuri … he didn't take his pills for a while. Instead, he hid them. He kept feeling worse until I gave him something else. Once he noticed it helped, he began to self-medicate at a much higher rate. Mila, the patient he got into a fight with, told me. That was the reason." 

"I thought you said he's getting better?" 

"He is. He finally stopped blaming himself for the death of his mother. From time to time, his fantasies slip up. He's saying 'his room' more often now than 'his cell'. A week ago, he started to dress in his own clothes again. Sometimes he refers to my husband as doctor Katsuki. For the longest time, he was his guard." 

Nikolai shakes his head. 

"But this Otabek…" 

"... Is his biggest and most practical tool to a full recovery." 

"I still don't understand. Why are we playing along as if this is normal?" 

Viktor sighs and leans against the door frame, smiling when Yuri enters again. 

His own Yuri. Not the child he had been obsessively worried about for the last three months. 

"Sometimes, the human brain struggles so hard to deal with reality, it chooses to create a version that isn't real, but feels better. Otabek has been his protector from day one. He's older and stronger than everyone else. He's quiet and stoic. He lets Yuri talk. And it makes the perfect excuse why we all struggle to answer him. Yuri hasn't clued into the fact that Otabek appeared when he started to take his meds and that he disappeared when he stopped. Which is part of the reason I wanted him to start again so badly. Otabek is a big help for him. He's … his conscience? Otabek helps him see what's right. He 'tells' Yuri that he's innocent. That he'll be okay. And more importantly, he gives him the feeling that he's loved." 

"But did he have to make up a friend for that? And do we HAVE to pretend he's real? Isn't that harming him in the long run?" 

Viktor shakes his head, and even though his eyes are sad, he tries to sound cheery. 

"I don't know why Yuri felt he needed him. But he did. He still does. And if it means he will heal, we will keep the second half of his room empty. We will greet the air next to him and pretend to talk to him when Yuri isn't around. It's actually helpful in conversations with Yuri. When I told him Otabek mentioned his cat Potya, it was the first time he allowed me to talk about his family. Instructing the whole clinic to acknowledge him is a small price to pay for the steps he has taken to heal. And he relies less and less on him. Sometimes he tells my Yuri that Otabek is with me. It happens more and more often. He's … beginning to learn to live without him, I guess." 

"But that doesn't explain why he made him up in the first place." 

Now, the sadness finally blanketed all of Viktor's face. 

"When he was brought here, he was in a terrible condition and convinced everyone hated him and was against him. Otabek is a part of him that is always strong and withstanding. Yuri couldn't even come up with a crime for him because he was so damn perfect to him. 

In the end, the answer is simple. 

"Yuri loves him.

Yuri wants to be him." 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry.  
> But you have been warned this is a semi happy ending.  
> Please let me know what you think about the concept and the execution.  
> Did you expect it? If yes, when?  
> Thank you for reading.  
> ♥
> 
> There is a seconds chapter you can read if you prefer fluff and happy endings, but it's not crucial and this story can stand alone, too.


	2. Broken Free

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first chapter can be the whole story on it's own. This chapter was added for everyone who wanted a HAPPY happy end.  
> It is far shorter and basically an Epilogue.  
> Please enjoy.

"Vitya!" 

Yuri runs around the corner, almost dropping the mountain of paperwork he's carrying. His haste makes him reckless, but he doesn't seem to care. 

"Vitya, we have a problem!" 

Viktor barely looks up from the document he's filling in. 

"Really? In a mental health clinic? And I thought everything is always peachy …" 

He's pressing two fingers against his temple, trying to counter a migraine. A lost battle, but he's nothing but determined. 

He didn’t get a doctorate for mind related issues just to bend the knee for a migraine. 

Instead, he looks up, his gaze softening. 

"Sorry. I'm just —"

"Yeah yeah yeah, doesn't matter. I'm sorry. I don't mean to be rude. But we have a problem larger than me during Christmas and —" 

"Yuri." 

"Yes. I know. No self-depreciative humor. Sorry. But there really is a problem." 

Another roll of Viktor's fingertips. 

He glimpses at Yuri through half-lidded eyes. "Is it … larger than your _dad's_ Christmas belly?" 

"VIKTOR!" 

He sighs and stands, knowing Yuri is right. That doesn't stop him from mumbling, though. 

"All I want is one calm afternoon. It's visitors day. What the heck is going on? Who's fighting?" 

Yuri bites his lip. 

"No one is fighting. But we have a guest for Plisetsky. That isn't his grandpa." 

"Oh?"

That catches Viktor's interest quite efficiently. 

"Who is it then? Wait. I saw the boy with the leather jacket and undercut running around here earlier. Leroy, I think? Yuri's old roommate. Is he back to visit him? That's adorable!" 

"No." 

Yuri looks like he is shrinking into the floor. He ducks his head and Viktor recognises the old habit. Yuri is _really_ stressed. 

"That's the problem. He says his name is Otabek Altin." 

\-- 

"That's impossible." 

Viktor paces the office, agitated and uncomfortable. 

"I know." 

Yuri is standing next to him, and it is obvious that he doesn’t really know what to do with himself. He is usually the one who panics. 

After the news, Viktor storms outside, but impossible or not … there he is.. Otabek Altin. Nineteen years old. Dark hair, dark eyes, undercut, looking for Yuri Plisetsky. 

Ridiculous. 

Utterly ridiculous. 

Viktor is tearing at his own hair. 

"I've been working on this for MONTHS. MONTHS, Yuri. He just recently acknowledged that 'Beka' isn't real. And now you're telling me he is?!" 

"I'm not saying that. He is." 

Yuri pokes his thumb in Otabek’s direction. As if it would matter where he stands. 

"Do you … think we can make him leave? Before Yuri sees him?!" 

A headshake. 

_No_. 

Dammit. 

"Okay. Okay. Get him in here. I need to talk to him." 

"Vitya … " 

Yuri blushed a dark shade of crimson, heat coloring the tips of his ears. 

"... I have work to do, too … sorry but I'm not …" 

"You're not my secretary, of course. Excuse me, my love. I'm just so …" 

Viktor jumps from his chair and all but throws himself at his husband. Angering him is the last thing on his mind. 

"I'm so sorry, Yuri. I'll go get him myself." 

\-- 

"Altin, huh?" 

Viktor brushes his palm over his face. There's stubble dusting his cheeks. He forgot to shave, but it's okay. Yuri still loves him. 

And there's enough other things to focus on, after all. 

"Yes, sir." 

_At least he's not a delinquent._

_Yuri made him sound so badass._

The man in front of him might be wearing a leather jacket and fingerless gloves, but he's sitting very upright, and his eyes are clear and attentive. He doesn't smile, but it's obvious he listens. A listener would be good for Yuri. 

"What … brought you here, Mister Altin?" 

"Otabek, please. And … I'm looking for Yuri Plisetsky." 

Viktor nods and writes 'OTABEK' on his chart, circling it once. Not that he needs a reminder of this name. He heard it often enough. 

"How do you know Mister Plisetsky is here? What do you want from him?" 

Viktor knows he sounds harsh, but Yuri is a special case, and he needs to be careful with him. Especially under these circumstances. 

"I have been calling every mental health institute in the area. They … said they can't give me any information if I'm not family. So I began to drive around." 

"Waitwaitwaitwaitwait." 

Viktor shakes his head, trying to understand what is going on. 

"You … have been searching him left and right? Without knowing where he is? Just to visit him?" 

"I know it sounds weird. Maybe even a little obsessive …" 

He chuckles and rubs his neck. 

"... If you still have a free bed …" 

"You're an adult, Mister Altin— Otabek. Even if there was enough indication to offer you a bed— and you didn’t just admit to stalking one of our patients— we couldn't offer you a stay here. You're not a minor." 

Otabek nods and takes his hand down, staring at his nails. 

"I just don't know what to do." 

"About what?" 

"About Yuri." 

He swallows, and when he lifts his head, his eyes are almost glassy. 

"I can't seem to be able to forget him. He … has the eyes of a soldier, Doctor Nikiforov." 

Viktor sighs. 

Oh no. 

\-- 

Grabbing Yuri by the shirt, Viktor pulls him into his arms. They are back to their usual dynamic. Yuri is pacing, and Viktor is calming him. 

The shirt tears a little because Yuri is hurrying so much, and Viktor sighs. He wishes Yuri was wearing one of those sexy lab coats. But they aren't used in most mental health institutions because they further the gap between patients and doctors, and that's the opposite of what they need. 

"You are sure this is a good idea?" 

"No." 

Viktor turns Yuri into a hug, and the other man melts against him. 

"To be honest, I'm pretty sure it's a shitty idea. But you should have heard the story. I couldn't say no. I'm a romantic." 

Viktor sighs and clutches his own heart, even if it means pushing Yuri a little to the side of their hug to do so. He lives for the drama. 

"Don't you think it will retraumatize him?" 

"To know that his fictional friend isn't so fictional after all? I'm not sure." 

He presses Yuri as close as reasonable in the workplace. Viktor's definition of that is pretty loose. 

They watch Yuri walk into the room, Nikolai already waiting at their table. The old man had been shocked, to say the least. But strangely, he seemed okay with it. To an extent. 

Viktor settles next to his patient. 

The blond isn't too pleased, but the time of uselessly spewed insults is over. 

"Yuri … there is … someone here who would like to meet you." 

He blinks, just once, then points at his grandpa. 

"Duh." 

Viktor swallows, and can't repress the heat creeping into his face. 

"Someone else." 

"Oh?" 

The best way to go about it is the direct way. 

"Otabek is here." 

Yuri opens his mouth, then closed it. He glares. 

"That's not funny, Viktor. We haven't seen each other since he was released. He didn't even send a letter. Don't joke like this." 

He looks at Nikolai and bites his lip. 

_Soldier on, Nikiforov._

That's when he remembers Otabek’s words again. 

" _The eyes of a soldier_."

He can't believe their story, but Viktor doesn't have to. It's enough that it's real and happening. One more try, this time slower. 

"Yuri … you know what we said about Otabek, right? He wasn't released. Please, Yuri." 

The blond ducks his head, his hand slightly shaking. His eyes are flooded with anger, sadness, desperation, reluctance. 

"No. He's … not real. I made him up. Just like the prison. Because I couldn't deal with the blame." 

It's spat out like venom, as if holding the words in a second longer could burn Yuri, and maybe it would. 

Viktor nods. 

That was the easy part. He can't believe THIS was the easy part. 

"Well, apparently, we both fucked up a little." 

Yuri's head snaps up like a rubber band.

"Do you know how they say the human brain can't make up a face? Every face, even the ones in dreams … we had to see them at some point. And with your ehm …" 

Viktor is only making it more complicated for himself. 

"There _is_ an Otabek Altin." 

Yuri’s eyes bugger out, seemingly only kept inside by him blinking so hard, they are pressed back. 

"There is?" 

Voice tiny, hope barely concealed. 

Yuri is a wreck. Viktor hopes— no, prays—it's the good kind. The one with hidden treasures that sprouts new life. 

"He wants to see you." 

Silence. 

After what seems like endless hours of nothing, Nikolai clears his throat. Viktor and Yuri are staring at each other. 

"Mister Nikiforov?" 

The older Plisetsky brings him back. 

"Sorry. Sorry. Yuri. Do you want to meet—"

"HELL YEAH!" 

Viktor nods. He suspected something like this. 

\--

He's next to Yuri again. 

His Yuri. 

Viktor holds onto his hand like a lifeline. 

"Both of them are briefed. Both of them really, really want this. I don't know how we got here, but—" 

"Yes, you do know. And it's time to tell me! You've been keeping it all to yourself, Nikiforov." 

Ouch. Last name. 

Viktor winces. 

He watches the door open. 

A young man walks in, looking shy and confused despite the leather jacket. Yuri jumps from his chair and is halfway across the room before Viktor can blink. He watches the young whirlwind with amazement, as he leans over to his husband and begins to explain. 

"He's a paramedic. He is the one who collected Yuri from his home and brought him to the hospital, where he found out his mother died. They talked a little in the car. That's why Yuri knew his name and age and that he has siblings and so on. He helped Yuri through the shock, apparently just like his version here. Otabek said he thought they could become friends, but when he came back from the paperwork—" 

Viktor watched as the blond takes the last few steps towards Otabek, then launches himself off the ground and jumps him in a full-body tackle, wrapping around the taller boy's body. 

"— when he came back, social services had already taken Yuri and then brought him here. Otabek lost his trace, but found out through colleagues that he was in a mental institution. From that moment on —" 

Yuri's arms fly around his neck and he leans in from his throne around Otabek's waist and presses a kiss to his lips. 

"— oh god. From that moment on he's been searching for Yuri because he apparently has ‘soldier eyes’ Otabek couldn't forget. But I'm not sure how he will—"

This time, Viktor abandons the sentence. 

Instead, he watches Otabek go rigid in shock, before melting against Yuri. He holds him tight, one arm beneath his thighs, the other behind his head as he pulls Yuri into a deeper kiss. 

Nikolai looks away. 

Viktor stares for a moment. 

Apparently, love at first sight exists.

Or maybe at second sight. 

He doesn't care. 

Instead, he wraps his arms around his own Yuri and kisses him. The tension of the day melts away as they appreciate what is blossoming in front of their eyes. 

Viktor loves that.

Viktor wants to be them again. 

  
  
  
  
  


  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, and I would love to hear from you!  
> I'm also on  
> tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/venom-for-free  
> instagram: https://www.instagram.com/venom_for_free/  
> or twitter: https://twitter.com/venom_for_free


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